Quiet time

Wonderful things are going to happen today! Have you ever said this while looking in the mirror? Have you ever expressed it out loud so your own voice will remind you who you are and all the good things in store for you? I think we are often our worst critic; we look at ourselves and immediately find our faults. For some reason, we are hesitant to complement ourselves, thinking it may be inappropriate, unnecessary, or downright silly.

The enemy doesn’t waste any opportunity to lie to us and to remind us of all the negative things we have done in the past. That is one of the reasons we need to speak out loud who we are in Christ, but it is not the only one. Speaking the truth is powerful and we need to do it often.

We really are amazing! I may not know who you are, what you look like, what you have accomplished in life so far, but I already know you are someone very special with a purpose and an amazing future. There is nothing you could tell me that would make me doubt this. Why? Because The Bible says: “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10) We are a masterpiece! Isn’t that lovely? But even better, we are God’s masterpiece!

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines Masterpiece as a work done with extraordinary skill; especially: a supreme intellectual or artistic achievement. Everything in us has been given by our creator for a purpose. This includes our physical features, our abilities, our talents, and our personalities. Nothing was left to chance; we are beautiful in every way because we belong to Him.

God said, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my spokesman to the world.” (Jeremiah 1:5) We should read this until we know it by heart because each word in this verse is an indication of God’s love for us.

The verb “to know” in the Bible has a much deeper meaning than the use we give it today. It is the word used to describe a very intimate relationship. “Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain… Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch… Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth.” (Genesis 4:1,17,25) This word shows the strong connection between two people. It doesn’t refer to having knowledge of something or being acquainted with someone. When God says He knows us; He really means it, better than anyone else and better than we know ourselves.

We have been in God’s mind and heart from the beginning of time; before your parents met and conceived you, God already knew you. He had big plans for your life before you cried your first tear and as a newborn baby God already had appointed you spokesman to the world. What an honor!

Why is it so hard to see ourselves as we have been created? Why do we magnify our negative aspects instead of concentrating and improving the positive ones? Where are we getting our standards on how we are supposed to look and feel? Friends? Neighbors? Entertainment and media? We need to get our standards from God and how He sees us.

Have you heard a little voice inside telling you that you don’t have to be like everyone else to fit in, to feel satisfied, and to be happy? Listen carefully… “How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful!”. (Song of Songs 1:15)

Listen to what God is telling you… “For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior… Others died that you might live. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” (Isaiah 43:3-5) When we start soaking in that love we begin to understand our relationship with God and see ourselves in a new light. Things look different when we know who we are and who we belong to.

In the middle of life’s storms and our less than perfect behavior, it is easy to forget how wonderful we are, that is why it is important to remember how God sees us and to agree with Him so He can mold us and change us; “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” (Jeremiah 18:6)

God wants us to know that “you are a chosen people. You are a kingdom of priests, God’s holy nation, his very own possession.” (1 Peter 2:9)

We are not awesome because we are good, beautiful, rich or talented; we are awesome because God created us in His image, because His Son died for us and because His Holy Spirit lives in us.